new year's eve...

...is upon us!
So here is a pic of what I've been doing since yesterday. Crocheting a rectangle out of 100% wool wool with the intention of making a felted pouch as my first felting adventure. YAY! See it's stripey goodness! The wool was a bit on the expensive side (£2.63 for 50g) but it'll be worth it for the felting adventure! Ms. Frewen says I need glycerine soap, so will have a squiz in the cupboard and if I haven't got any, I'll pop into town and have a dekko when I pick up 'Coraline' for the I.M.E Chicklet Book Club (lol). I'm gonna take a peek at the 52 books in 52 weeks group and see what it's all about. If it's not structured (like telling me which book to read and when) I might join in!

Quick update today cuz of needing to bath and do my moleskine for round 2, but should be back on January 2nd with more stuff!

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!

hello hello hellooo

Hey y'all!

I.M.E groups for round 2 are up on ravelry! I'm in E (which will probably end up being called the eclectic elephants or something!) and some of the chicklets have made it into the same group, so YAY! I haven't been parted from my beloved frewen, FPK and DMXOX thank the gods! But there are also new peoples to meet, and I look forward to that too!

I hope you like the pics up there by the way. Aren't they groovy? They're of peoples' christmas lights (in the dark) taken with a slower shutter speed. I could offer them as weird futuristic prints to people! And I have more! Top one is a row of lights, middle is some blue net lights (think they were over a tree or soemthing maybe?) and bottom one is -believe it or not- a row of streetlamps! I was in a moving vehicle with a slow shutter, so there ya go!

I has a mole on my right shoulderblade and have all my life, and now it seems to want to annoy me. It feels different. It looks a bit different... I'm wondering if it's doctor trip time?

This is not crochet related. I am a bad Lini.
I'm wondering what to make for my Y RAK receive-ee Bianca... hmn, I have some nice yellow DK so I could make something cute and cool. I mean, you don't HAVE to make something, but I guess it'd be nice if I did. There's no way I'm gonna come close to Zoe's F RAK I got, but I can try!

So I was thinking of making something useful... maybe like a pouch or something? Lion Brand has some dinky bits, like a coin purse and an ipod sock (but does she have an ipod? And could it be used as something other than an ipod sock?)...

Ok so here's the links:
ipod sock
coin purse
(you may need to login/register)

Answers on a postcard PLIZ!

post-xmasness

Looks like the handmade presents went down a treat. Even mother (who hates wearing woolly things, even in the coldest winter!) is wearing her scarf. Hooray, I succeed!

So I've been playing around with ribbing, and I managed to make a hat that looks like it's melting onto your neck lol. I'll get a pic later, but I'll offer it out for sale to anyone who wants it in advance (like hell, lol!) it's lilac, black and white... you know you want it!
EDIT: It's actually in my recent hookups, but it doesn't look melty there! I guess I'll have to model it... bah! Here it is in it's normal looking glory... yeah, normal. You wish.

Basically, this is just a quick update to let you all know that I survived christmas (never having one ever again) and that I'm still here!

I'm gonna try and get my IME posted out today, so frewen keep your eyeballs peeled!

But now, I'm afraid I've got to go and do Mark's (SO) weekly shop, or else he'll starve. I really am the best girlfriend ever.

Happy festive period (I know it goes on until Jan. 1st!)

the essex baker, lol!

That's what I'm calling myself today! No hooking, but one hell of a lot of baking! Langues du Chat (bottom pic) for my mama and a cardamom & cinnamon custard tart (top pic) for my inlaws for tomorrow!

I had a very cold shower... it started off warm and then went south on me. Great. Also, my electric ladyrazor is broke, so I'm gonna have to get a new one. I don't want to shave with a blade! Boo hiss!

Very fleeting update today I'm afraid, am a busy bee again!

Probably won't update tomorrow (obviously!) but might drop in on boxing day.

HAVE A GREAT CHRISTMAS, CHANUKAH, KWANZAA, YULE, SOLSTICE OR ANY OTHER FESTIVE EVENT!

To my IME friends across the pond, take care in the snow (jealousy) and have a great xmas!
To my friends here in the UK, watch out for low cloud cover and possible rain (boo) and have a great xmas too!

it's christmas eve eve...

... that's what I've called Dec. 23rd as long as I can remember.

Finished mum's scarf yesterday, at last! Just bit the bullet and fastened off. It looks ok to me... we'll see what she says on Thursday.

Slightly off topic, if anyone knows how to get chilli residue off your hands, please tell me. I used one chilli in my dinner last night, chopped up, and still have hangnails that taste of fire. And would you believe that I've washed my hands at least four or five times since then?

My best friend is meant to be in town today for the day, so we were gonna look at wool and drink coffee, but as yet she hasn't got in touch with me... so I don't know what I'm doing... I need to go to town to pick up my Thor comic (issue 12, woo, at last!) and a whole list of them for SO who has to go to work today, rather than buy comics. Since he can't get to the shop before xmas, kind girlfriend here has volunteered to get them. He has a list as long as my arm. Well, no, it's seven different issues. I'm just hoping they're all the $2.99 ones (will cost about £2 here) and not the expensive ones!

(I can't believe I didn't get the job I went for last week... the interview seemed to go so well...)

Leslie's moleskine now has some doodleness in it. I'm not going to say what, but there's about four pages of ramblings, one page with a nice drawing and a page of insanity. So hopefully she'll enjoy that! I look forward to getting moleskines in the I.M.E, but I also have the horrible fear that when I pick up my pen/inks etc, it'll be an artistic abortion. I'm looking at inspirational art today to help improve my own, so hopefully everyone will get something they won't shudder to look at. I've also signed up for round 2, so there'll be two moleskines for me to draw/post at once. I do hope I don't get confused! This shall be my reason for going on JSA- so I can pay postage to frewen, and whoever comes after me in round two. Ooh I'm so excited to see who'll be grouped with me!
I think we're sending the round 1 chicklet 'skines off in January... but don't know when!

So now I'm off to drink tea and possibly crochet some more hat. Yus.

three days until xmas

Hello everyone out there in internet land.
I hope you're all having a very merry festive period, be it Christmas, Chanukah or Kwanzaa, or something else entirely.
I'm not. I'm still unemployed, had another rejection email, and my extended family are all morons. But on the plus side, I did get a big box in the post today, which appears to be my ravelry UKRAK secret santa. Oh yus.

The scarves we made for my cousins were well received on Sat, as was the beanie for the kid. Not going to say anymore as it will bring back the angries, and I've only just managed to make them go away... suffice to say, the day was crap and ended up with me losing my temper and having to go away to my room for half an hour and have a good rage until I felt better.

Anyway! This is not talking about crochet is it? NO!
I've found a really nice free pattern from Lion Brand (you may need to register to see) that I might look into making in the new year. I've never done a "big" project before. The dog coat I made was a medium project, but I'm more used to making one shot wonders like beanies, scarves, bonnets etc... so this'll be a challenge! I love the colour of it, but not too sure if it'll suit now I have dark hair again... I bet you're all waiting with baited breath, so here we are, without further ado, the Cowl Neck Sweater pattern! The only problem is, I don't know what weight Lion Brand Wool Ease is... I'm sure I can find out from somewhere. Maybe the website? We'll see...

Finally, I've made another beanie. It has ridges lol. Also, working on another one and finishing mum's xmas scarf (had to stop for a week cuz she was on holiday from work but now I'm running out of wool! NO!)

And in non crochet news, I hear my forum friend Leslie hasn't been very well of late, so GET WELL SOON! I hope you heard me in Colorado!

And before I forget, frewen, please make me some felted booties! ;)

tink's dog coat part 2!

Ok, here we are, as promised, a pic of Tink in her coat/jumper/thingy. She's not actually getting it until kringlemas, but she needed to try it on. And to avoid the inevitable questions about her breed, she's a four year old Jack Russell Terrier bitch. I think she's longhaired/wirehaired rather than short though, because she's got a mohican thing down her back lol!

So now crimble presents are all done. I've cooked a chocolate-mocha-custard tart for my lovely manchild to have tomorrow as a bribe for coming over when my awful family decends upon us, and there are small chocolate star biscuits to be had (and some weird meringue spongy offcuts), so fully bribed he be.

So now I guess I'll have to start a new project. I don't know what to do! Ideas?

Sorry for the short update AGAIN but I'm not really hooking much (plus have been baking for 3 hours!) so not a lot to say!

new haircut :D

Hey y'all. I'm back again. This time with a new haircut and colour! I've gone from long shaggy blondeyginger to shorter choppy chocolate brown. I might upload a picture if the fancy takes me... I think darker hair suits me actually. I'll have to upload a pic now or you'll all think I'm being vain!
Here we are...

Anyway- only a short update to say that I've finished off the dog coat for good now (hopefulyl a pic of her in it later) and I'm going out to give it to her mummy in a little while.

I'm checking ravelry as we speak, so hopefully will be caught up on what the chicklets have been up to!

TTFN homegirls and homeboys!

I'm still here!

Yes, I'm back from my one day hiatus.
My mummy dearest has a week off work, so we're escaping to the shopping centres of doom to finish kringus preparations.

Job interview was... ok. I felt good about it, but I'm not talking about it anymore because of past experiences with the whole "I'm terribly sorry, but we chose an applicant with more experience" bull...

Have had strange asthma today. One instance of feeling like the breath had all been sucked out of me, and two of random coughing for about 5mins... strange. Oh well, it's stopped now.

As promised, my very easy peasy scarf pattern (I'll try and translate it to American when I've finished translating it from my shorthand to English first!)

1) Ch 14 (or any multiple of 5/10 with 4 tc)
2) Dtr in 4th from hook, *ch 1, miss 1, dtr in next (*rep across, ending with 5 spaces
3) Ch 4, turn, *dtr in chain space, ch 1 (*rep across
repeat row three until scarf is desired length.
See! Easy!

Now for the translating:
ch= chain
dtr= double treble (US= treble)
(a good guide to translating British/US terms can be found here)

You can check out my ravelry projects for three examples of the scarf pattern in action (Collarette, Natalie's Scarf & Moonglow Scarf)

Honestly, I don't get on the IME Chicklet board and they rack up 40 posts without me! I'm offended ;)

Also, check out my cool new project bag I picked up shopping today! It's made of one long continuous zip! Epic win! It's called a Zip It bag (unsurprisingly)... and when you want to fold it away, it just unzips and rolls into a small coil! HOW cool? VERY cool!

productive-ish weekend

I had no social life this weekend, so decided to crochet instead.
Made myself a little scarflet (collarette), my cousin's christmas scarf and have started another hat. I've also got the scehmatic for SO's crocheted xmas gift down like a clown, so yeah, all is good!

I've got a job interview today, hence the short update, BUT I'll be back tomorrow with another free pattern y'all can use (for a SCARF!) and hopefully more interesting news... we'll see! ;)
Also, stay tuned for pics of my collarette!

twig hooks

So here we are, what I've been working on; twig hooks!
They're not in the order I made them in, so... erm.
Pic 2 is hook 2
Pic 3 is hook 1
Pic 4 is hook 3

And pic 1 is the lovely wool I got from Zoe unskeined and made into a ball! Oh I loves it so!
Sorry it's such a quick update today, I slept in late (felt bad before bed) and have to go out at 12:00 (and it's like 11am now!) so I'm in a bit of a tizzy!

f.r.a.k!

I got my F RAK from Zoe this morning! I was sooo happy! The pic is what was in it. I got a felted... er... thing (being used as a tidy pot now!), two fish (a crab and lobsty), green finn wool and some fingers! Mmm fingers! Sorry for the lame wrong way up pic, my PC has a paddy every time I try to rotate a pic, and the aggro is just not worth it.

The wool is soooo smuzzly. I love it. I rubbed it on my face a bit earlier. Family don't think I'm mad, they're used to it... just glad I wasn't wearing foundation yet!

So yes, I got woooooooooools! I bought a couple of balls from Hobbycraft becase they'd gone right down in price. Naughty me!

Anyway- proper update tomorrow!

finished things

Thought you might like to see what I've been working on recently!
I know it pops up in the sidebar with little pics of my projects, but these can be biggified, so you can see better!

Pic 1= my Seija set hat for little Jessa
Pic 2= Kathleen's scarf
Pic 3= Emma-Lee's christmas hat
Pic 4= Starburst hat... must have made a mistake somewhere!
Pic 5= me and SO having a day out in Rochester. Note my hand crocheted beret AND scarf!

hello again...

I've completed two hats in two days. Wooo! Get me and my fast fingers! Wait, that sounds dirty.

Hello everyone, and welcome to another edition of the essex hooker.

I've been trying to change my blog template all morning, but the damn thing keeps screwing up. If anyone clever can help me, please do.

I've just noticed I've got a dent in my forehead... weird...

Sorry, back on to topic!

I've made two head huggers in two days. I can't say that I'm less impressed than the others- my head hugger family is growing by the day! I managed to get the "two brothers" (above) together before they go off to their new homes, which gave me a small smile :D
The one on the right is a simple 2 strand head hugger, worked slightly looser with an 8mm hook and two strands of acrylic DK in "camo" colours (the brown is Sirdar something, and the actual varigated one is Teddy Picasso which doesn't seem to really exist on the web, except on ebay!) . It came out a bit larger than other huggers, possibly due to the hook size.
The left is another 2 strand hugger (brown is the same Sirdar, blue/black- no idea, it cam out of the old stashbag) done in an 8mm. I did a row of double (single to you Americans) around the brim, then ribbed it using FL/BL around with dc (sc) for two rows. Then I did a row of just blackyblue dc (sc) and another of just brown dc (sc) which made it a bit different.

I did get some sticks yesterday, and made a little hook! (Probably about a 4mm-ish) It doesn't work very well (I can only get 3 chain max on it before it falls through!) but I still like it, and I think I know what I'm doing now! So maybe I'll do another one today, and see if I can get the throat and head to go right. I'll get a pic of it and show you all too.

not feeling christmassy yet...

So christmas is advancing. Pah. So what. I'm not feeling particularly festive this year, even SO has picked up on it (even if he did say me putting a downer on everything was grating), and that's probably to do with the fact that I'm still unemployed. And I've run out of money. And overdraft. So I guess I'll be going to see the Jobcentre next week, much to my chagrin. Great.

So I've been looking at hooks again. My godmum asked what I wanted for christmas, so me being me, said I wanted a 20mm hook. Realising that she doesn't do much in the way of finding random hooks, I found a website that has some lovely ones. You'll have to excuse me if I've mentioned it before, but I can't remember. I have a brain like a sieve. Anyway, angelyarns has some lovely weird and wonderful hooks in plastic, bamboo, birch etc as well as the old standard Pony and Prym.

Also, just a random thought, I'm sure my jewellery making skills could make better stitch markers than these... and cheaper... *ahem* so if anyone wants some, I'll probably have had a little play by the next update, and may have got some for sale (they'll be quite cheap, I'm not a mercenary- between £2.50-£5.00, or about $4-$7 for my American friends, not including P&P, which will probably be about £1 for UK peeps and about $2-ish maybe for the US)

Really though, I want some lovely big addi hooks. I want a 12mm, 15mm and a 20mm. I also really want to branch out into other materials- I mean, I've got aluminium Pony, Palette and Prym (what is it with the Ps?) and some plastic Palettes (Ps again!) but I'd really like some wooden ones... bamboo (and if anyone's feeling philantrhopic, I'd love the $49.99 Takumi roll set!) and birch and palm and everything! I also really want a Jimbo hook, but at the moment, funds prohibit me. I also found metal ones! I mean, nice silver and gold ones- Leslie might like them I thought to myself...

I'm seriously thinking of getting the sandpaper out and making my own hooks. God only knows what kind of sizes they'd eventually emerge as, but whatever. It'll be fun. It'll stop me killing people from unemployment-induced boredom. Which is a possibility at the mo...

Ok, so in my garden we have a lot of fruit trees- the place was an orchard before they built houses on it, and most of the street has some pear trees going down in a line across the gardens. I think that's sweet personally... but I also LOATHE pears. YUCK! And if you like them, when you've accidentally trodden in a mould blackened fly-blown one on a hot summer's day, you won't anymore. Not mentioning the wasps. Blugh.

Back on to topic! Honestly, I ramble more than someone with stout boots and a love of the countryside! OK!

In my garden we have:

• 3 pear trees
• 1 peach tree
• 1 cooking apple tree
• about 5 damson/greengage thing trees (I dunno what they are, they start out green and then go all purple. They look a bit like plums... small plums. PLOOMS! *ahem* sorry)

not to mention the branches that fall off my neighbours' trees, and the honeysuckle thing tree (small tree, about 8' high, has yellow teardrop-ish flowers with a white centre with stamens protruding) and the small fir/pine/christmas tree ting.

So I'm wondering if I could actually make some apple/pear/etc-wood hooks. And if anyone would want to buy them from me too. I used to do a lot of carving/sanding/shaping the branches when I was younger, so I'm sure it wouldn't take too long for the knowledge to come back. I think though, because of the spate of wet weather recently, it might take some time to dry the pre-hooks out over the heater.

This post really got away from me... sorry.
If you managed to read to the end without scroll-skipping, well done, have a pat on the back.

recent pics...

Top is the view over the river in Rochester/Strood at sunset on Saturday
Below is Mummy's Xmas Scarf- not done yet!

wintryness

Yes, it's all winter-y (wintry?) in Essex.
I like winter because I get to show off all my handmade goodies and have people ask me if I bought them in a shop! No! I made them, woo! :D

My christmas making list is decreasing, hallelujah, praise jebus and Odin and everyone else (but not Allah because he tells Muslims to kill animals halal-y and I have an objection to that)!

As of today it looks like this:
DONE:
My mum-in-law's (hat, my own pattern)
My sis-in-law's (hat, my own pattern)
My best friend's (Rasta bag hat, modified version of an internet pattern that I'm still looking for again!)
My other best friend's (scarf, "Dave 2.0 Scarf" pattern from crochetme.com)
My other best friend's (wristlets, "Openwork Wrist Warmers" I think from crochetme.com)
My grandparents-in-law (shell pattern tea cosy, from an old book)
My godmum (Froth n Frills Scarf from 'Fun & Funky Crochet')
My best friend's dog (Scare Bear Costume from Crochet Kitten)
My friend's baby (Seija Set hat from 'Happy Hooker')
Cousin 2's toddler (my hat pattern in mini form with a scalloped edge)
My dad-n-law (another "Dave 2.0 Scarf")
Cousin 2's hubby (beanie in camo colours for when he goes fishing)
My friend (now penfriend) in the USA ("Zen & The Art of Stash Diving" Scarf @ crochetme)- see pic above/right!

DOING:
Finishing the dog coat.
Finishing my friend's hat matching pouch.

ON THE LIST:
My other half (a Trevor in white made to look like the SSBB punchbag/sandbag)
Cousin 1 (scarf)
Cousin 2 (scarf)
Another friend/friend's fiance (a head hugger)
Another friend (wristy gauntlets)
Boyfriend's uncle (earflap hat like mine)

At least I've actually decided what I'm making now!

Anyway, I have one last run to the post office to make before I forget... oh and the library! Sooo I'm offski!

wrist bones turning to dust...

Yeah, you can tell it's winter when I get my wrist straps out!
A few years back I had an accident at uni which meant that I tore the ligaments in my left wrist- v painful! And when it gets cold outside, it gets all painful again! So I dig out the big strap thing the hospital gave me (complete with metal plate down the palm-wrist) and away I go getting my yarn caught in the velcro. Since last year, my other "good" wrist has started to twinge in the cold, so I got some strapping for that one too... so another place for the yarn to get fluffed up! Must be the onset of the familial arthritis. Great. I was hoping I'd at least be 30 before that happened! It would explain the ever worsening shoulder too... joy. And I've got thread veins in my legs. NOT FAIR! My body's getting old before its time!

Ok so we scrapped the Kathleen hat idea and mummy is very kindly making a scarf according to the stash diving pattern I posted yesterday. She's doing it cuz my hands hurt lol!

So I'm making a Trevor for myself, just as a nice easy "all done in a DC spiral" amigurumi thang. He's an alien. You can find his pattern here. My Trevor is neon pink, and will probably only have two feet, as I think four is a bit excessive, especially considering that he's got two arms as well. I can't decide what colour to make his arms and feet... I don't really want to use boring black but I may have to for coordination's sake (his eyes are big 10mm safety eyes like smooth coal lol!)... bluh whatever.

In other news, I posted my IME moley yesterday, and frewen got it today! Well done Royal Mail. FPK's is on it's way from Colorado to me, so it should be here soon! God bless ravelry!

So yeah, I'm off to see my mummydearest and take my godmum's xmas present to her. Woot.

...nearly didn't make it!

Had another fun (not) run to the Post Office to get the presents sent off to the friends. Still haven't got Kathleen's sorted- the damn thing worked up too small. Oh well, back to the drawing board and a crochet frenzy!

I might make her a stash scarf instead. I really like this pattern so I might start on it in a bit. As soon as I've drunk my tea!

Sorry for the short update, I've been a busy little bastard today!

getting better

I'm nearly snot free, yay!
How nice for you to stop by and hear me talking about mucus as the first part of the blog post. What a lovely person I am.

I have a follower now! I'm literally spazzing out with excitement! Thankyou to my friend FiberPirateKniter/Leslie for coming aboard! <3 Literally, I'm squee-ing. YUS!
Hooray for ravelry- I am hooked!

And now on to the crochet aspect of the blog, lol!
I'm currently breaking my fingers making a hat for my friend in the US. She lives in Montana, which is like right next to Canada (sort of) so I bet it gets cold up there! Hopefully I'll get it done before the weekend and be able to mail it Friday or Monday at the latest. Royal Mail are being a bit bumface about the last int'l shipping dates, so I'm not taking any chances! I also need to get my UK RAK random letter (G) off to Birgit in Finland. Am having trouble deciding what to send though... a G size crochet hook? Gum? Gnu? Gravy? Ginger?

I still need to finish some other things off properly before xmas, including the bows and stuff on Tink's dog coat, Ani's hat matching pouchette (how I'm gonna make it do up, I don't know!) and get started on another flap hat for Jessa. My hands are so itchy and rashy from using mohair in this hat, it's horrible! The hat is just horrendously pretty :D If you're a raveler, check out the colours here!

These hooks from Resplendent Creations are simply beautiful! You know what else I want for crimble now!
I'm also going to make a nice hook roll using this pattern if I get the time between now and the new year.

My crimbo list is basically comprised of hooks and clothes... oh and a really nice pair of boots, but I'm not allowed any more shoes >:|

Back unto the itchy allergy triggering crochet breach, once more!

naughty eh

Yes, I missed a day! It had to happen at some point. I wouldn't mind, but I even had a post ready and I just... well... plain forgot!

Ok, so I finished Jessica's hat and did another hat in an evening yesterday. Didn't come out looking like the pattern, but since I followed it to the letter it's obviously not my fault. Or something like that... Anyway, this is the pattern if you want to give it a try. Maybe you can point out where I went wrong!

So I gave Tasha Jess' hat yesterday. It was meant to be for xmas, but since I was seeing them (first time I've seen baba since September) I thought it'd be nice to give it to her. It was very well received! Nanny Dawn kept saying how clever I was, but it's not hard to follow a pattern! Tasha says she wants another one already- even though one of the earflaps was slightly longer than the other... oh well, that's how you can tell it's handmade! I bet you're all dying for a peek at baby Jess in her flap hat, so ok, pics are up. Just pop over to my ravelry or flickr and check out the hat "Auntie Tattoo" made ickle Jessa.

So not many things left to do before xmas now. Thank god! I'm getting so stressed out! I need to make something for my friend in the USA because I need to ship it by the weekend! Mummy help time I think!

One last thing, check out the vast amount of patterns over at StarGazer's.

EDIT:
Remember I told you about my mum's surprise xmas present? How it'd gotten a foot long? Yeah, I frogged it yesterday. It looked weird so I started again :S
Oh well, still 23 days until crimbles!